Handmade Book Sessions

Tomorrow we start Nina Fenner's series of 3 Handmade Book workshops on Tuesday evenings from 7-9pm. They are going to be a goodies :) You can book on to either one, two or three sessions.

Half Term at the Hub

The week started like any other with coffee times and crafting groups. We had a well decorated alley after a birthday party at the weekend where Sparkly Sonia was in charge of entertainment.

My Lottie has been my constant half-term companion and has been a great help as always this week.

We had a great time at Sonia's Spangle Wagon on Tuesday making masks for an imaginary masked ball.

Wednesdays knitting group was lovely with old faces popping in as it was half term. Lauren's family baking session of Exeter baking Club was delicious! All the regular baking club members made a batch of biscuit dough and all Wednesday's bakers went home with a plate of decorated biccies - except for Lottie and me. We ate some of ours and shared the rest with the people upstairs who must have been tortured by the smell of freshly baked biscuits all afternoon.

Thursday marked the start of Animated Exeter's Time Winders so we have rockets, lasers and mirrors in the hub. It's all part of an exciting week in Exeter which culminates in a celebration in Belmont Park called The Riddles Finale.

From Radio Exe's summary of Animated Exeter's Events...

Time Winders – join the fun in a participatory game through the streets of Exeter. Inspired by Animated Exeter’s commissioned short story,  The Exeter Riddles, by award-winning author Philip Reeve,  Time Winders is a street game where players race against the clock to halt the destruction of Exeter's historical timeline and stabilize the heart of the city. The game has been realized by Bristol-based company, Slingshot, the brains behind the popular zombie-game 2.8 hours Later, and Igfest, Bristol’s annual pervasive game festival.

Suitable for all games lovers, Time Winders combines action, animation and theatre to create a unique story telling experience where the player controls the action. 

This morning we welcomed Monkey Music to the hub and they came in style with 40 families, lots of balloons, fabulous songs and lots of energy. I have heard such good things about Monkey Music but never been to a class. Daniele and Sonia had three sessions during their open morning. If you are interested in finding out more go to Monkey Music's website. Sonia is running classes on Friday morning's from next week.

This lunchtime Lottie and I finished the week with Magic Carpet's Crafting Group which we moved to the carpeted room next to the hub as Animated Exeter were creating their magic in the hub. We made woven flowers, badges, hairclips and greetings cards all to sell for Magic Carpet funds.

So Animated Exeter will be in the hub tomorrow afternoon and then next week we go back to our usual timetable with the addition of three new groups...

Carolyn's Women's Choir on Tuesday nights in the back room, 7-9pm.

Nina Fenner's Handmade Books workshop is on Tuesday in the hub at 7-9pm.

Monkey Music starts on Friday mornings

And coming soon...

Liz's Knitting Group - Crocheting Valentine's Hearts

Wednesdays midday to 1:30pm. 

Half Term Timetable

It's half term at the hub and so that means a few changes:

Monday: no coffee time and a private group in.

Tuesday: coffee time and crafting at midday, NCT Bumps and Babes at 1:30-3pm

Wednesday: two yoga classes in the morning as usual, coffee time at midday, it's family baking at Exeter Baking Club 1:30-3:30pm (just turn up, £3 per baker)

Thursday: Animated Exeter's Time Winders (book through Animated Exeter) in the afternoon, Argentine tango at 8pm

Friday: Monkey Music Open Day in the morning (book through Monkey Music on ), Animated Exeter's Time Winders (book through Animated Exeter) in the afternoon

Saturday: Animated Exeter's Time Winders (book through Animated Exeter) in the afternoon

We are back to our usual timetable on Monday 25th Feb

Exeter Gingerbread Single Parent Families' Group

Wednesday 13th March 3.30-5.30pm - Easter Parade - bring an old hat to revamp into headwear fit for an Easter parade using crafting materials. We'll have a little parade at the end for children and any grownups who want to join in! Any hat will do - woolly, baseball cap, sun hat, straw hat, beret even a plain alice-band.

Mini Entrepreneur

On Monday morning Anna popped by. Her son Adam wants to raise funds for their scout hut and each scout has been given £1 to make some money with. Adam has decided to sell some of his sister's clothes that she has grown out of. Little Zoe made hearts to decorate the hangers, Adam made a sign with the scout logo on the top and this morning their mum dropped it in while someone was waiting for Yoga Babies and Adam had an instant sale! One pair of pink trouser sold. It's looking good. You are very welcome to pop in and see what is for sale.

On Monday afternoon, it is the ESSENCE steering group meeting. ESSENCE is the Exeter Social Enterprise and Cooperative Network. We are planning the next year so it's a biggy. I have cake and a flip chart so we have the ingredients for a good meeting.

Last Friday, I started a new weekly cooking and recipe idea. I have been meeting with a local GP and bouncing ideas around. This is the first step. It's simple but it seems to be working already. First thing on Friday morning I put on the slow cooker using a simple, tasty recipe with ingredients which don't cost the Earth (in more than one way). The slow cooker means that by Friday's Come and Catch Up at noon (our coffee time) we have something yummy for everyone to try and recipe cards to take home.

Gingerbread Single Parent Families' Group

Tonight is the 3rd meeting of the Gingerbread Single Parent Families' Group and it's going from strength to strength. Parents and their children meet at the hub at 3:30pm for two hours and have a good time. Tonight Clare is running a crafting session making fabulous decoupage hearts.

Back to Blogging

This marks the beginning of my 'back to blogging' stage. I have missed it but fell out of the routine and couldn't quite find my way back. I have missed it. I always found it a great way to digest the day, make links between the different things that happen at the hub and a great way to keep a diary of the goings on which I could refer back to whenever I needed to.

Today is a great day to start again with. We had a quite steady start to 2013 but we are back up to speed now and things are good.

Isabella came in today to cook us churros and hot chocolate. She whizzed about to find a frying pan that would work on our induction hob. None of mine would work and I got rid of the one we used to use at the cafe (the base needs to attract a magnet) so she made do with a saucepan. She cooked outside in the alley as we didn't want to set the alarms off. 

I thought churros would be a deep-fried batter mix but it's a strange recipe. You boil milk, add flour and salt and stir quickly over a heat. You then pipe the super thick mix into hot fat (Isabella used olive oil) and dip the churros in sugar and then thick hot chocolate. They were totally delicious. Especially when freshly cooked and still hot. We had quite a quiet session at the hub today so I had plenty!

 Penny showing how it's done...

Lauren's fabulous Exeter Baking Club were making valentine's biscuits today and when I went in to set up for Capoeira there were three fabulous heart biscuits waiting for us. Thank you Lauren and co. Did I take a photograph? No, we ate one and shared the others. Lauren will blog about them soon. 

Capoeira has really taken off and it was James Leigh's last session of his four week run this afternoon. He was going to discuss good time slots for the next sessions. So if you missed this four week block, there will be more coming if we can find a good time for the group when the hub is free. If not it will be carrying on somewhere...I will keep you posted. 

Tai Chi is now twice on a Wednesday and the later beginners class is growing. Not a surprise when you have such a lovely teacher. 

COOKING: After a talk with a local GP and a good chat with Penny Ritson (www.pennysrecipes.co.uk) Friday lunchtimes are going to be Community Cooking Open Hours. Pop in on Friday to find out more and bring your tasting spoon with you! 

Fridays are also the collection day for Penny's Shilliford Organics Vegetable scheme. You order online on Wednesday or earlier and Penny is at the hub on Friday to answer any questions and talk recipes. 

The other Friday event is the Magic Carpet Crafting Group who meet at midday. They will be crafting all sorts of creations and selling them to raise funds for Magic Carpet. Anyone is welcome to come and help - the more the merrier. 

We are really lucky to have fabulous crafty events at the hub. After the success of The Mass Charity Lampshade Make we now have Handmade Books Workshops with Nina Fenner. She is taking bookings now and they are going fast. 

Tomorrow at the hub we have Exploring Soft Pastels, two free English classes (intermediate) with The Olive Tree and Argentine Tango. 

A Talk on Parenting by Connection

A Talk on Parenting by ConnectionHiding Behind Tears & Tantrums:  Moving on from rewards & punishments to simply connecting. Results in better social skills, flexible thinking, attention & cooperation. Suitable for babies & children.

           Wednesday 13th of March

                         11-12pm

for a small donation to cover room hire
Led by Laura Newman
Parent Coach & Communication Specialist
01364-644-149
07412-450 894   
laura@infinityparenting.co.uk
facebook.com/infinityparenting

Handmade Books with Nina Fenner